The bi annual Ice Factor Spectacular hosted another 500+ guests at the Adelaide Hilton on the 16th September.

Headlining the event was our 160 students who once again performed miracles on the catwalk stunning the excited crowd.

For many students and teachers this was their first ever Spectacular, however when it was showtime you could not see this. Many students proclaimed this was the best experience of their life and the stories we keep hearing, and soon sharing here, are absolutely amazing.

We are very lucky to have an amazing team lead by Marie Shaw QC and all of the supporters of the program and the Spectacular to make all of this magic happen.

The Ice Factor Program has been working together with NHL Players association, stopconcussions.com and USA Vs Canada Ice Hockey Classic for several years now. This year marked the first time the teams have actually played a game in Adelaide, Entertainment Centre on the 24th of June.

Before the game some of the superstars such as Bryce Salvador (Former New Jersey Devils captain), John Scott (NHL All stars game MVP 2016), Ben Scrivens (Montreal Canadiens) and Terry Yake (Anaheim Mighty Ducks) spent an afternoon

teaching our students some ice hockey skills. Most schools were able to participate and the NHL players were very positively surprised when over 150 hockey hungry players showed up to the IceArenA. Our students had been talking about this event for months and what the players delivered exceeded expectations. The students were just as excited to mingle with the players off the ice as they were on the ice.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Kerry Goulet and Toni Miil for organising this event aswell as thank Bryce Salvador, John Scott, Ben Scrivens and Terry Yake for giving our students an inspiring ice hockey session.​

It was two days of joy and saddness. What we witnessed was some amazing hockey in both divisions and it was clear to see after having up to 25 players move to play the IHSA Under 20's junior league the standard of hockey was excellent. Both tournaments were extremely close with Pasadena Predators defeating Windsor Garden Warriors in Division 1 and Hamilton Hornets defeating Fremont Elizabeth City Blue Hawks in shootout in Division 2.

We were met by some great special guest including the Minister of Education Susan Close MP as well as the Governor of South Australia Hieu Van Le.

The days were also filled with some sadness as this is an end of an era for some of our students as they are graduating from the Program. We are hoping all of these players the very best and perhaps some of them will return in same way as Amber Cook (LeFevre Lightning) and Michael Colvin (Roma Mitchell Blue Machine) who were appointed as Ice Factor Ambassadors after finishing in the program as players but still willing to help out in speaking on behalf of the Program.

In the end the whole Ice Factor Program would like to thank everybody that has been involved in the program this year and in the past. This list would include the schools, principals, teachers, of course the players and all the volunteers that have gifted their time to help out. Coaches who we are very proud of and have done a great job and the supporters and sponsors who make the program possible

The Ice Factor Program and Ice Hockey South Australia are proud see their cooperation in action in South Australian Under 20 year olds league. We are extremely proud of the effort our players have been putting through competing with and against some of the best ice hockey players in the state and country.

The feedback from the senior players and coaches have been very encouraging as well, complimenting Ice Factor students for their skill levels and especially the commitment of the players.

We would like to thank Mike Gainer, Neil Boyle and Marie Shaw for organising this league and making it possible for Ice Factor students to attend at Ice Hockey at this level.

Our second player of the week award goes to the same team, Windsor Garden. This time the recipient is Carly Harris. Carly has been involved in the Ice Factor Program for some time now and has really stepped up on leadership aspects of the Program and in the team. The players in the team say that they "look up to Carly both on and ff the ice and try learn different skills from her.

The big difference we have seen in Carly is her confidence. Carly is now a senior member of the Ice Factor Program and was leading the line at the Ice

Factor Spectacular at the Adelaide Hilton last year. This year she performed at the Festival Centre during the Reconciliation Celebrations. Carly is also a model student at school and we at the Ice Factor Program are excited to see what she is going to achieve in her life.

The Ice Factor Program has started publishing a new recognition on players that are doing well, both at the Ice Factor Program and at school, called the player of the week award.

First winner of this award is Caleb Branson from the Windsor Garden Warriors. Caleb is the third member of the Branson family that has attended the Ice Factor Program, his older brothers Josh and Stephen have made their marks in the past. Caleb is described as a leader in the team who can lead by example on the ice, but as well with his words off the ice. "Caleb himself says of his role in the team: "I am a leader and it is my job to be a role model. The team is doing really well and everyone gets along great.

Caleb would know about team work as he is also a top basketball player with goals in North America "I want to go to America and play college basketball and play NBA."

According to Caleb's teacher he is a very natural

leader with great communication skills as well as sense of humour. "Caleb is a very supportive person to every member of the team a true leader."